The Chelsea and England defender John Terry has denied a Football Association charge of racially abusing the Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand and has requested a personal hearing, the FA announced.

"The Chelsea player has requested a personal hearing, the date of which will be set in due course. During this period John Terry remains available to play for England."

The 31-year-old was found not guilty of racial abuse during a five-day trial at Westminster Magistrates Court that ended two weeks ago. District Judge Howard Riddle ruled there was reasonable doubt whether the words were intended as an insult.

Terry maintained they were not, rather forming part of a denial to an accusation of racism from Ferdinand during Chelsea's Premier League defeat at QPR on 23 October.

The FA declined to drop their own investigation into the matter, which they had put on hold when Terry was charged with a criminal offence.

Whereas the prosecution in Terry's trial had to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt, the FA disciplinary commission can reach verdicts purely on the balance of probabilities, a much lower burden of proof.

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